I am a Northern Illinois Jeep Girl here, trying to see if there are any clubs up by the IL/WI border.

Also if there are any big events taking place soon, since spring is near.

Also check out my build, and please give me some more ideas on what to do to my Jeep!
7" IRO long arm lift and 33" Tires will be on by may. Front and back bumpers by mid summer.(anyone know of some good fab shops that make good custom bumpers?)
This is what my jeep looks like and that is me.

Yep, just moved into a place west of Channel Lake in November. My XJ is a daily driver, and I go to Spring Grove occasionally for pet supplies and food (Nature's Feed is a very nice store).

I noticed a pattern of you playing with your headlights in your build thread. I also noticed that you've dabbled in HIDs. I'm a huge stickler about doing HID right or not at all because I've been blinded into having near-death experiences too many times by crappy HID installations into reflector housings (once is too many times really). Before I got my XJ, I was also looking at ZJs and preparing ideas (gah, I just missed about 2 or 3 5.9s and it still stings to this day). Here is an HID projector retrofit that covers the basics of what I'd been planning to do. Perhaps it will interest you. http://www.cherokeeforum.com/f52/zj-...ersion-154299/

Yep, just moved into a place west of Channel Lake in November. My XJ is a daily driver, and I go to Spring Grove occasionally for pet supplies and food (Nature's Feed is a very nice store).

I noticed a pattern of you playing with your headlights in your build thread. I also noticed that you've dabbled in HIDs. I'm a huge stickler about doing HID right or not at all because I've been blinded into having near-death experiences too many times by crappy HID installations into reflector housings (once is too many times really). Before I got my XJ, I was also looking at ZJs and preparing ideas (gah, I just missed about 2 or 3 5.9s and it still stings to this day). Here is an HID projector retrofit that covers the basics of what I'd been planning to do. Perhaps it will interest you. http://www.cherokeeforum.com/f52/zj-...ersion-154299/

Yes it is a nice store!

And yeah I have tinkered with my headlights quite a bit. HID's just stunk in the rain so I took them out, not to mention stunk with the tinted headlights. Not worth it should've went with the non tinted ones lol

The miners are amazing, with I would've found one when I bought mine. But the 5.2 isn't bad either it's only 20hp difference lol

I just looked into that forum, those look amazing!! I'm actually thinking about doing that in the future! Thanks!

So do you plan on ever lifting the XJ? Or just keeping it stock? My ZJ is my DD, looking into buying a Cummins soon. So if you know anyone selling a Cummins? Ha

Very nice ZJ. Maybe I missed it in ur build thread, but what did u use for ur front lights(tint wise)? Are those covers? Ive been wanting to do this to my ZJ.

Thanks,
Dale

I used rust-oleum lens tint. Works amazing. I'd test try it first though, only because you have to get the hang of it, it runs easily if to close(my friend messed up on his lights) I put about 4 layers on. Pretty thick.

My XJ is being built as a handle anything practical DD. I don't wheel it; I do my wheeling on a mountain bike instead which also needs me to throw some $$ at it right now . It will gain a little lift but not because the lift is my goal--I have no need of anything more than a small boost--but because I want the quality of Old Man Emu, and even their lowest suspension is a little over stock. That's a long way off yet. This spring will be a cooling system overhaul and addition of 3 electric fans in place of the stock mechanical and electric fans. After that, everything but necessary maintenance is on hold until I can afford rust repair. The rust isn't bad at all yet (just barely peeking in places), and I want to stop it before it becomes a problem--still pricey though.

I'd love to get my hands on some 10-spoke turbine wheels from XJ's Renix years, but I might be happy with powdercoating my current laces as well depending on how well the oxidation blasts off of them. Also planned is a head-to-toe sound deadening as per Sound Deadener Showdown. A proper header and some quality E-code halogen headlights are also on the list. I have lots of other barely-formed ideas, but I have to prioritize especially since I have virtually no money.

My XJ is being built as a handle anything practical DD. I don't wheel it; I do my wheeling on a mountain bike instead which also needs me to throw some $$ at it right now . It will gain a little lift but not because the lift is my goal--I have no need of anything more than a small boost--but because I want the quality of Old Man Emu, and even their lowest suspension is a little over stock. That's a long way off yet. This spring will be a cooling system overhaul and addition of 3 electric fans in place of the stock mechanical and electric fans. After that, everything but necessary maintenance is on hold until I can afford rust repair. The rust isn't bad at all yet (just barely peeking in places), and I want to stop it before it becomes a problem--still pricey though.

I'd love to get my hands on some 10-spoke turbine wheels from XJ's Renix years, but I might be happy with powdercoating my current laces as well depending on how well the oxidation blasts off of them. Also planned is a head-to-toe sound deadening as per Sound Deadener Showdown. A proper header and some quality E-code halogen headlights are also on the list. I have lots of other barely-formed ideas, but I have to prioritize especially since I have virtually no money.

Sounds like you and your jeep have a great future ahead of you. My Jeep is my DD for now, eventually it will be my toy. I plan on getting a Subaru wrx for my DD, cummins as the toy hauler, and possibly another Jeep. But that's for a couple of years down the road. Only reason I have money to throw down for my 7" lift and tires this spring is because of tax return, and saving $300 out of every paycheck.

Do you do your own bodywork?

I have some rust spots on my rockers, I don't have the time to do it myself. My hatch hit the point of no saving it, so looking for one of those too.

being in spring grove you are about 2hrs away from "The Cliffs Insane Terrain" park which is roughly 400 acres of trails from easy stuff to hardcore. as for clubs the only one I know of that is north of me is DDO "down and dirty offroad" though I'm not a part of it, not much into clubs. you could also go to the Indiana badlands of which your about 3 and a half hours away from. unfortunately Illinois is not a very prime wheeling spot. as far as Wisconsin Minnesota Michigan go i haven't been to any of their wheeling places.

hopefully some of this information is useful,
Erik

p.s. zjs tend to have engine mounts go bad more than most vehicles and i've heard nothing but good things about these especially if you wheel it

being in spring grove you are about 2hrs away from "The Cliffs Insane Terrain" park which is roughly 400 acres of trails from easy stuff to hardcore. as for clubs the only one I know of that is north of me is DDO "down and dirty offroad" though I'm not a part of it, not much into clubs. you could also go to the Indiana badlands of which your about 3 and a half hours away from. unfortunately Illinois is not a very prime wheeling spot. as far as Wisconsin Minnesota Michigan go i haven't been to any of their wheeling places.

hopefully some of this information is useful,
Erik

p.s. zjs tend to have engine mounts go bad more than most vehicles and i've heard nothing but good things about these especially if you wheel it